Help Name the Mountain Lion Cub at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Courtesy of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

We hope you’ll join the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in welcoming their newest addition: a five-and-a-half-month-old mountain lion cub. The little guy was rescued and nursed back to health by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; but because he was unsuitable for reintroduction into the wild, his adoption by the Desert Museum was arranged through the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Once the cub was in good health suitable for transport, California departmental agents traveled nine hours to rendezvous with Desert Museum staff in Blythe, California,” said Shawnee Riplog-Peterson, the museum’s curator of mammalogy and ornithology. “After arrival at the Museum, the cub was quarantined in the exhibit’s night-holding area at which time veterinarians and keepers monitored its well-being and began training efforts.”

Known scientifically as Puma concolor, mountain lions (a.k.a. pumas or cougars) are the largest of the small cats. Even though they are referred to as lions, they lack the ability to roar. They are consummate predators, with a small head, muscular body, powerful shoulders, strong legs, large paws and a long tail. Cougars have powerful claws and jaws armed with impressive canines. They are stalking, ambush hunters that normally live solitary lives.

Now that this little guy is home and in good health, the museum needs your help. This cub needs a name and you’re invited to enter the naming contest at www.desertmuseum.org. The winner will receive a special gift from the mountain lion and a family membership to the Desert Museum. The winning name will be announced at a special naming celebration on July 6.

OK, to help you come up with a suitable name for this fella, below are some details about this cute cat:

Sex: Male
Age: 5 1/2 months
Rescued: March 9 in San Jose, CA
Rescue Weight: 15 pounds
Current Weight: 51.5 pounds
Current Length: 37.5 inches (not including the tail)
Current Paw Size: 4 3/4 inches
Favorite Food: Goat’s milk
Favorite Activities: Chasing rock squirrels and lazing in the shade